A Dietician at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has cautioned Ghanaians against prolonged cooking of traditional foods.

Emelia Dery Gbogr warned that excessive heat, water, and cooking time can significantly reduce the nutritional value of meals, particularly vegetables.

According to the Principal Nutrition Officer, the way food is prepared is just as important as the type of food consumed, particularly for people seeking to maintain a balanced and nutritious diet.

Speaking on the Joy FM Super Morning Show on Wednesday, August 19, as part of Joy Sustainability Month, she explained that traditional foods contain essential nutrients that help the body function properly, but some of these nutrients can be lost when food is cooked for too long.

“Even when cooking traditional foods, it becomes much more difficult for us to eat the nutrient-rich foods that can help our body function,” she said.

Ms. Gbogr encouraged people to use cooking methods that involve less heat and water to preserve nutrients. She noted that some traditional cooking practices used by older generations were designed in ways that helped retain more of the nutritional content of food.

She explained that rather than keeping food on high heat for extended periods, some traditional methods involved cooking ingredients briefly, grinding them and combining them with other nutrient-rich ingredients afterwards.

According to her, prolonged cooking, particularly when preparing stews with oil, can also increase the amount of oil consumed.

“When we are doing it as a stew, the oil will start with oil. We end up eating the oil for so long,” she explained.

She added that excessive cooking could result in substantial nutrient loss.

“By the time we are done, we have lost almost half of the nutrients that we are looking for,” she said.

Ms. Gbogr also advised people not to completely avoid foods that contain fat or protein simply because of their nutritional composition. She said such foods can form part of a healthy diet when consumed in appropriate quantities.

“For a normal adult, you need to do it in moderation so that the fat content doesn't become too much for the body,” she advised.

She further encouraged people with specific dietary concerns or health conditions to consult a qualified dietitian or physician for personalised advice.

Addressing questions about fonio, the dietitian clarified that fonio is not the same as quinoa.

She explained that although the two grains have nutritional similarities, quinoa is a foreign counterpart to fonio, while fonio is a traditional West African grain with its own nutritional benefits.

According to her, fonio contains important nutrients, including amino acids, and can be incorporated into a balanced diet.

She urged Ghanaians to make greater use of locally available nutrient-rich foods while paying attention to preparation methods to ensure that essential nutrients are preserved.

Ms. Gbogr stressed that healthier eating is not only about choosing nutritious foods but also about preparing them in ways that help retain their nutritional value.